Business of Sport

It’s another returning great this week as we welcome Matchroom Boxing & Talent Agency CEO Frank Smith back to the chair. Frank was show number 8 on Business of Sport, and a lot has happened since. On top of deciding the sweeping curtains should be replaced by a buzz cut, he has been front and centre of a first class Netflix series looking behind the curtain at Matchroom, organised some of the biggest fights in the industry, and has set up Matchroom Talent Agency, signing some of the most notable but undervalued talent in sport, including Tom Aspinall & Henry Pollock.
There was an air of confidence, surety, calmness, whatever you want to call it, about Frank this time round. To operate successfully in an industry where I think it is fair to say emotion can drive and get in the way of decision making and clarity of thought, Frank’s approach is pretty unique. Whether it is putting on Anthony Joshua’s mega fights, dealing with the Conor Benn fallout, adapting to the changing face of boxing as the influencer category flexes harder than ever, the approach doesn’t seem to change. I loved doing this again. We’re delighted to welcome Frank to the Business of Sport.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Airwallex
The intelligent financial platform for global businesses
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.airwallex.com/uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gemini
We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geminisports.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bos@20vc.com

The World Cup marathon has finally come to a close with Spain triumphing over Argentina while seeming to do the impossible, uniting the whole non-Argentine world behind one cause for the good of football, and that’s got nothing to do with me being a bitter Englishman. What about what has been happening off the pitch? What are the biggest business takeaways from the tournament. We’re not short of content. Add to that a look at golf after an enticing Open Championship, and how the mysterious R&A oversee the non-US side of the sport, and the incredible record NRL deal as Rugby League once again shows its pulling power in Australia, and we have ourselves a breakdown.

Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at ⁠⁠charlie@20vc.com⁠⁠ and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.

We're delighted to also partner with the Global Institute Of Sport:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gis.sport/BoS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to our Substack for bonus content:
⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@businessofsport⁠⁠⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bos@20vc.com⁠⁠

In the week where Josh Kerr smashed the 27 year old mile record, we welcome into the studio the man who broke it 3 times, won multiple Olympic Gold Medals, brought the Olympics to London in 2012, and for the last decade has been President of World Athletics.
Seb Coe is one of the most influential and respected executives in sport. He has certainly had one of the most diverse careers, and that gives him the opportunity to talk through both the biggest challenges that athletics and the Olympics more broadly faces, but also highlight what makes them storied, successful, and desirable for both fans and brands. In Seb’s eyes, there are only two truly global sports. Harry and I have had the privilege of knowing him our whole lives. It was therefore great to finally be able to do this. Let’s hear what it really takes to balance politics, performance, identity, finance, all under that banner of sport.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Airwallex
The intelligent financial platform for global businesses
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.airwallex.com/uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gemini
We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geminisports.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bos@20vc.com

After a stacked weekend of World Cup and Wimbledon, The options this week were endless. But having touched on the misdemeanours of FIFA last week, we were inundated with messages on the role the FA have to play in Infantino’s Presidency, so it is time to take a proper look at the relationship between England & FIFA. Add to that an update on McCullum’s inevitable departure from the England test set up, the incredible rise of Jannik Sinner alongside the Grand Slam nations struggles to produce their own champions, and a venture into the world of showjumping, and we have ourselves a breakdown.

Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is intended as commentary and opinion on matters of public interest in the sports industry. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, figures, statistics, and financial data referenced may be based on publicly available estimates and could be subject to error or change. Nothing in this podcast should be taken as a statement of fact. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us at ⁠charlie@20vc.com⁠ and we will endeavour to correct the record promptly.

We're delighted to also partner with the Global Institute Of Sport:
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gis.sport/BoS⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to our Substack for bonus content:
⁠⁠https://substack.com/@businessofsport⁠⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bos@20vc.com⁠⁠

Como have gone from bankruptcy to the Champions League in 9 years. There aren’t many better headlines than that. Of course the next question is how have they done it? From Cesc Fabregas’s managerial excellence to building a club that is about more than football in one of the world’s most sought after locations, President Mirwan Suwarso gives us an insight unlike any we have had from a football executive. There are a few eye opening takes on transfer strategies and UEFA dealings that will keep you guessing. Como is a proper business years ahead of the competition.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners on the show: 

Airwallex
The intelligent financial platform for global businesses
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.airwallex.com/uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gemini
We empower the most confident sports organisations on Earth
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geminisports.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you’re interested in partnering with the show, please reach out to us at
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bos@20vc.com